Find more great family recipes and meal planning assistance at Dine Without Whine

Cashew Chicken Casserole
Makes 6 servings
Prep:  START NIGHT BEFORE
Cook Chicken (I always boil mine and then chop)
Chop Onions and Celery
Crush saltines

2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
3 cups cooked boneless skinless chicken breast halves chopped
1/2 cup cubed  American cheese process (like Velveeta)
1 small onion chopped
1/2 cup celery chopped
1 8-ounce can water chestnuts
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 1/3 cups milk
1 14 1/2-ounce can chicken broth
1/4 cup butter or margarine melted
2/3 cup crushed saltine crackers approx. 20 crackers
3/4 cup cashew nuts

1. In a greased 13×9 inch baking dish, layer the 1st six ingredients in the order listed.
2. In a bowl, combine the soups, milk and broth.  Pour over the ingredients in the baking dish.
3. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
4. Toss butter and cracker crumbs; sprinkle over casserole.  Top with cashews.
5. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until macaroni is tender.

Serve with white rice

Chocolate Angel Food Cake
Makes 8 servings

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup cake flour sifted
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
6 eggs white large, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 envelope whipped topping
Milk
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa
Vanilla extract
Additional unsweetened cocoa powder

1. Preheat oven to 375°. Place sugar and cake flour in a small bowl. Sift 1/4 cup cocoa powder over and mix well; set aside.

2. In a large mixer bowl at high speed, beat egg whites until foamy. Add cream of tartar and continue beating until stiff but not dry. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon vanilla over egg whites. Fold in cocoa mixture, half at a time, until well blended. Spread evenly in an ungreased 10-inch tube pan. Bake in lower third of oven for 30 minutes or until top springs back when touched. Invert and cool in pan.

3. Prepare whipped topping according to package directions, substituting skim milk for whole milk and adding 1 tablespoon cocoa powder with vanilla. Frost cake, reserving about 1/2 cup for piping on a decoration if desired. Sprinkle with additional cocoa powder.

Find more great family recipes and meal planning assistance at Dine Without Whine

When she was two, she discovered the joy of stickers.  At about the same time, she learned that they stick very well to the car window.  Not only was this immediately gratifying, but it also gave her hours of enjoyment during car rides.

“Horse!” she’d say, until I would respond.  Then she’d move on to the next animal, cartoon character, or shape.

Honestly, it has never bothered me to have stickers on my car window.  To me, those stickers aren’t a blemish on my car or a habit to be broken.

What I see on that car window is hope and optimism.  I see proof that a little girl with an appreciation for beauty rides with me on almost every trip.  I see a changing vocabulary, a growing ability to decorate, and a lingering of childhood.

In the car of my life, I sometimes forget the small touches that make the ride fun.  I scorn loud laughter, dorky jokes, and unfettered enthusiasm for quiet smiles, cool comments, and silence.

Why am I always trying to be someone I’m not?  How can I learn to embrace the beauty in life from my preschooler?

She’s already growing up faster than I can manage.  I’ll leave the stickers on my window for a little longer.  Maybe I’ll even add a few of my own.

Copyright 2009 Sarah Reinhard

Singing the lead vocals is Dew, a young lady originally from Tinidad, who now resides in the UK. She sings annually at the New Dawn Conference, a UK Catholic Festival, as well as other functions.

The songs reflect a variety of themes – “Awake Awake” is a praise song in honor of God, praising His Holy Name. The song “From Far And Wide” was composed for our Blessed Mother, Mary. There are two verions–the original and an acoustic version. The song “Temple” is a Eucharistic song, encouraging people to “Come into My Temple”. “Come Into My World” speaks of our desire for God to come into our lives. “Angel” is a beautiful instrumental piece, with a guitar solo by Paul Griffin.

This 6-song EP is very well-crafted, and Dew’s ethereal voice makes this a beautiful tribute to God.

Track Listing:

1. Awake Awake
2. From Far & Wide
3. Come Into My World
4. Temple
5. Angel
6. From Far & Wide (Acoustic version)

Visit Vision-Music.biz to learn more.

Featuring DEW, Lyrics by Stanley Jamieson
Music by Paul Griffin
Produced by Vision UK 2009 – www.vision-music.biz



Reviewed by Jim Logue, Jr.

After making my last confession, I asked myself how would I be able to avoid this sin in the future. What is the perfect balance between being Christ-like and being permissive?  I know as a parent I am not serving God or my children if I don’t bring them up correctly.

I have found several things to be effective. The first and foremost is asking the help of the Holy Spirit. The fruits of the Holy Spirit will guide us: wisdom, understanding, counsel, piety, fortitude,  knowledge and fear of the Lord.  We need all these things to not only raise our children, but to get through life.

Another thing I do is remind myself of and pray the Rosary. I notice my patience is shorter if I haven’t prayed the Rosary in a while. Why is that? When we pray and meditate on the mysteries of the Rosary, we are filled with peace. A purifying, holy peace. And when we’re filled with peace, there is no room in our hearts for anger. As Jesus once said, ” No one can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. ” (MT 6:24 .  While He was speaking of money, I think this could be applied in this situation.

One last thing I try is to ask myself, “If Jesus was standing in the room, would He approve of the way you are handling the situation? Would it make Him happy or would it hurt Him?” That is the ultimate goal in our lives – is to serve God and to please Him. He loves all of us more than we know.  It is our duty to treat each other with charity and guidance.

Will all these things in mind, I pray the Holy Spirit will guide me daily in raising my children.  And as I grow in God’s grace, I hope to avoid these words in my next confession: “Bless me Father for I have sinned. It has been one week since my last confession and I’ve already lost my temper with the children.” God Bless.

Copyright 2009 Jennifer Gladen

First, confess your sterilization and receive the grace of the sacrament of reconciliation.  Probably you have already done this, but if not know that it is by far the most important step you can take.  Even if you honestly did not know at the time that sterilization is wrong and so are not morally responsible for your decision, the grace obtained by receiving this sacrament is a powerful avenue of healing and peace.

Next, realize that you have not made an irrevocable decision.  Sterilizations – both male and female – can often be reversed and there are a number of doctors around the country whose personal apostolates include doing such reversals for a greatly reduced fee.  One More Soul’s website ( www.omsoul.com ) includes a directory of Catholic physicians who perform sterilization reversals as well as testimonials from couples who have sought them and an online discussion group on sterilization reversal.

Even in situations where sterilization cannot be physically reversed, either for financial or health reasons (sterilization reversals, like all surgery, entails risk and for some individuals this risk is too great for the surgery to be attempted), it is still possible to reverse the decision in your hearts and lives.  People who write and speak about chastity before marriage frequently counsel those who have not maintained their physical virginity to live a “secondary” or “spiritual” virginity by conducting themselves in exactly the same way that they would if they had remained chaste all along.  This is also excellent advice for couples who have stumbled in living chastely within marriage and submitted to a sterilization that they now recognize as wrong.

Couples who wish to live a “spiritual fertility” after sterilization start by accepting that their fertility has been drastically reduced, but it may not have been completely destroyed.  The human body’s ability to heal itself is amazing and there are a surprising number of children who have been conceived despite one of their parents having been “sterilized”.  In acknowledging that you are not definitively infertile and that a small possibility of conception does remain it becomes possible to live in accord with the Church’s teachings on family planning in exactly the same way that any other couple would.  Like any other couple, you should learn NFP and if you have serious reasons to avoid pregnancy you should abstain during the fertile phase of your cycle.  If, however, you do not have serious reasons not to become pregnant you are also free to use NFP to maximize the remaining small chance of conception.

One of the reasons NFP is so different from contraception in practice – and one of the main reasons that it builds trust and intimacy between spouses rather than damaging them the way contraception or sterilization does – is that it requires ongoing reassessment of and communication about whether serious reasons to avoid pregnancy exist.  Monthly discernment and discussion about whether or to seek to avoid or achieve pregnancy can and should be done by all couples – even who know that they are very unlikely to conceive because of natural or surgically induced infertility – and the resulting intimacy, trust and increased abandonment to God’s holy will can flourish even when conception is only a remote possibility.

It is also important to realize that genuine contrition includes an unwillingness to benefit from one’s error and voluntarily taking on the discipline and sacrifice required to avoid a pregnancy using NFP is an excellent way to demonstrate such contrition.

Finally, let others considering sterilization hear about your experience.  In this country, sterilization is the most common form of birth control among married Catholics and you are all but certain to have discussions with people considering making the same mistake you did.  Your pain and regret are powerful witnesses to the truth of Catholic teaching on this matter and yours may be the only voice speaking this truth to many with whom you talk.

Unite your suffering to Christ’s, ask the Holy Spirit to guide you and trust always in God’s infinite mercy!

copyright 2009 Sara Fox Peterson

Today’s Readings



Scripture: Lectionary # 489. Fri of 31 week. Romans 15:14-21. Psalm
81:1.2-3.3-4. Luke 16:1-8:

Jesus is a parable preacher par excellence. No where in the Bible are there
so many gathering of parables as we have in the Gospels except for that of
St. John who speaks more in symbolic figures of speech that are more
abstract.  The parable describes the style of Jesus who never missed an
opportunity for a teaching moment with this his favorite “genre.”  He does
this with such facility and frequency that forces his listeners–and we are
among them– to think the thoughts of God and to actuate their meaning and
motivation in our own daily practices and decisions.  Parables are colorful
and attractive; they easily fascinate and capture our attention and after
thinking about them we can easily see them as helpful in making our
decisions about doing good and avoiding evil and the wiles of temptation.
Jesus spoke them from his experiences of life and from he learned in his
small town of Nazareth where his own extended family probably met and
shared such creative stories that helped him learn how to be the parable
speaker that he is.  Like Jesus, we, too love to hear little stories and
anecdotes that help us. You certainly remember how your mother taught you
some rhymes and little stories to help you be good or to watch out for
danger.  Jesus learned from his mother Mary and from his relatives in that
little town of simple farmers. His mind was being filled with such creative
images and became a resource for his own mature years of preaching the Good
News.  We are fortunate that the Gospels collected all that they could
remember about Jesus’ speaking in parables.

Jesus’s Jewishness is vibrantly alive in these parables.  They have many
sides to them and become as interesting to solve as a crossword puzzle or
sudoku square.  Even the experts whom we call “exegetes” interpret them in
different ways from time to time.  In Hebrew thought these parables fit
under the word “mashal” which means similes, metaphors, riddles, turning
your thought upside down,  proverbs, maxims, fables,etc.  These creative
ways of Jewish prophets and Jesus who is among them are not what we call
historical anecdotes or realities but they are true to our life experiences
and thus become perennial in their application.  One World Fair had a film
called “The Parable” and this is who Jesus is for those who take the time
to read, to pray , or to study the Gospels. We know well there is no real
historical person who is the Prodigal Son or the Indulgent Father; nor is
the Good Samaritan a historical character yet these examples hop with life
once we ponder over their meaning; they help us to get outside of ourselves
and to appreciate the call to “be all who we can be.”   They have power and
strong appeal. They motivate us to do something about our lives.

Undoubtedly, Jesus did not have these parables infused into his brain by
the Spirit. He developed them by listening to his mother tell about how
yeast rises in the lump of dough; how she searched for the coin she had
lost; how fig trees have signs of maturing with fruit. and how you sew a
garment with appropriate thread and color.  He learned much from the woman
who loved to ponder over the things she experienced; she weighed them daily
for her own way of getting through another tough day of work and attention
to Jesus and Joseph. Luke captured this glimpse of her being a great story
teller with Jesus as her favorite listener: “And Jesus increased in wisdom
and in years and in divine and human favor .”  (Luke 2:52).

My first class last January provided the framework for designing a ministry for a need seen in the local community. I was inspired to create Holy Child 0-5 Ministry, combining the 0-5 neuroscience with our wonderful Catholic faith. In my prayerful imagination I can see a new wave of holiness sparked by this and like projects as we facilitate the work of the Holy Spirit, giving our children every possible advantage for spiritual flourishing.

In July, I put this concept into pamphlet form, and am seeking 100 volunteers to receive a free pamphlet. In return will come tremendous blessings. I am asking volunteers to send a comment back to me which will be included in the research necessary for the book version of Holy Child 0-5 Ministry. Please check my website for further information. Thank you & God bless!

What is it like at your parish before liturgy starts? Is it a quiet, sacred church? Or is it noisy and neighborly? Deacon Tom discusses this by sharing about a recent Saturday evening at his parish in Arizona.

Do you want a Mary Vitamin in your inbox?  Sarah Reinhard shares a quote from a recent Mary Vitamin and encourages you to sign up to receive your own.

This episode of Catholic Moments is sponsored by CatholicMatch.com, the Leading Catholic Singles Community.  Share your feedback at 206-339-9272, comment here on the blog or email lisa@catholicmom.com.

Links for this Episode:

• Wee Believers
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• CatholicMom.com Book Club
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As a child I remember a similar phenomenon when I would watch the old Batman live action show in reruns that came on before dinner.   At the end of the first half hour segment, Batman and Robin always ended up tied to some crazy conveyor belt on their way to being cut apart by a machine.  Or perhaps they were dangling from a rope over a vat of boiling oil, which was slowly breaking thread by thread.  Whatever the peril was, it was certain death!  But we never wondered at the end of such episodes if our heroes would survive, we just watched eagerly to see how they would get it done this week.

I believe we know from an innate sense that the good guys always win.  We are wired for justice.  Even when things get tough, we know that if we just fight hard enough good will come through.  But how about the guy who commits a crime and gets off on a technicality? Or the sleazy con artist who rips off a bunch of senior citizens and then disappears?  What about when a baby dies from child abuse or even a whole country full of babies dies from war or hunger or preventable diseases?  We have countless examples all around us of situations in which the real bad guy really does win.  Are we just naïve optimists to still hold on to the idea that good triumphs over evil?

No.  And to make my point I want to bring in a very special group of super heroes: the martyrs.  These are people who were burned alive, stoned, beaten, starved, beheaded, boiled in oil, flayed, shot, fed to animals… you get the point.  Want a stomach-turning Halloween costume idea? Look up a martyr.  They are a supreme example of good getting its butt kicked, right? All they did was honor God and serve His people, and they were put to death for it.  It kind of reminds you of someone, doesn’t it?

This is of course what happened to the Ultimate Good Guy.  The only one who can be properly called good because He is the source of all good.  He did not need to come to earth, but he did so, taking the form of a slave, subjecting himself to suffering and the worst possible death.  It was precisely his death, a seeming defeat in the eyes of the world that was his greatest victory.  He poured out every last drop of his blood, and in doing so poured out his love in abundance.   By his death, he conquered death forever.

And of course, he didn’t stay dead!  By his resurrection, he reveals his victory to us.  Jesus’ death is the moment we see repeated in every good hero story.  He seems dead, but, wait, he’s not!  He pulled through! Evil has not triumphed after all, even though it seemed as if it had.  This is where we find ourselves today in situations that I mentioned above.  In this world it seems as if the criminals go free, the innocent are victims and the martyrs are sad fools.  But in this world, we are really suspended in that moment in the movie where it seems as if the hero is a goner.  This world is a perpetual Holy Saturday.  Easter, believe it or not, is just around the corner.

We really believe as Catholics that at the end of our own lives, we will be judged, and if we are found in God’s friendship, we will be given an eternal reward.  Our sacrifices and sufferings offered in love will not go unrewarded.  And, at the end of time, the Supreme Hero will return in his glory and set all things straight.  The good guys will get their reward, and the villains will be put to justice. So don’t feel bad as you root for your favorite childhood cartoon superhero on YouTube.  Tell your spouse or coworkers that you are doing a study in the Pascal Mystery.

Copyright 2009 Libby DuPont

Today’s Readings



Scripture: Lectionary # 488. Thurs of 31 week. Romans 14;7-12. Psalm
27:1.4.13-14. Luke 15:1-10:

Do you like one-line statements?  Well, whether you do or do not, there are
“one-liners” in the Bible and they are quite helpful in jolting us out of
our boredom and our laziness when it comes to things spiritual like prayer,
faith, and self-giving in service to others.  Look for these one-liners in
the daily liturgical readings and you will find them giving you a
“jump-start” for the day.  Paul offers one at the end of the reading for
today, “Everyone of us will have to give an account of himself/herself
before God.”  It fits the context of what he says above about not judging
others. Leave that up to God who is the compassionate and just Creator and
Redeemer.  Better to fall into God’s hands than into those of humans who
are prone to judge, control, and correct.  We tend to judge others who do
not meet our standards of attractiveness, cooperation, and expectation.
Leave all that aside and we discover that people relate to us better.
Better to listen to them than to open our mouths in judging them. This
little ditty shows us how to listen without judging: “Her thoughts were
slow,her words were few, and never formed to glisten; she was a joy to all
her friends–you should have heard her listen.”

Jesus came not for the righteous (who think they have it all together) but
for sinners.  He speaks like a shepherd who searches for the lost sheep
leaving the “good” ones; he like the woman who lost one of her silver coins
searches for it so does Jesus for us when we stray and are lost under the
carpet of our selfishness.  Jesus, too, has a “one-liner” in the Gospel: “I
tell you there will be more joy in heaven over one repentant sinner than
over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need to repent.”

The Psalm contain many of these one-liners that are dart-like prayers to
heaven. Our responsorial psalm ends with this one:”Wait for the Lord with
courage; be stouthearted and wait for the Lord.” (Psalm 27:14).  This verse
sums up the message of the psalm and shows us the importance  of trust in
God who is our light and our healing and salvation.  Amen.

Last spring we would never have dreamed that Mom, actively working for a crisis pregnancy center at 74 would, in four short months, be taken from us and drawn up into the mercy of God. The words “stage four inoperable cancer” made my heart seize in fear, when my father spoke them over the phone, and I stumbled outside, numbly searching for the words to talk to God. That my seven year old found the words for me is a story I told here. For weeks, in the first drowsy moments as I awoke each day, the knowledge that Mom was dying hit my stomach like a sucker punch, and preoccupation with her condition robbed my attention all day long. I was functioning on autopilot; much of my emotional energy was focused in praying for a miracle for Mom. Just as all medical efforts to save her life were exhausted, a dear friend told me that she felt that God wanted us to know He was calling Mom home, and to let her go gently, wrapped in our love. Those words brought to mind the ironic sense of joy the Little Flower felt the first time she coughed blood into a handkerchief and felt the Jesus calling her to Him. She was 24. We began to understand that God calls each soul at the right time to attain their eternal salvation, and vowed to accept His timing no matter how abrupt it seemed.

I brought the girls to see Mom as often as possible, flinching inwardly each time I noticed signs of her diminishing health, yet she seemed to grow spiritually even as her physical strength waned. On weekends, there were rows of seats around her hospital bed, full of friends and family eager to be in her company, as Mom would make each visitor feel loved. Nurses and fellow patients were drawn to her gentle spirit and she was visited by half a dozen priests, who anointed her, heard her confessions, gave her Holy Communion, and asked for her prayers. She would offer her suffering for those she loved and took time to see all those who wanted to visit her, no matter how tired she was. She struggled to eat to keep up her waning strength, though each swallow was painful. Her left arm, bruised by the IV’s had indentations from her wooden rosary beads, which she kept, wrapped around her arm. Dad was constantly at her side, sleeping in a chair in the hospital and on a bed next to her at home, tending to her needs round the clock, and keeping her company when fear gripped her in the dark of night. Soon it became necessary to call my brother, a nurse, to help Dad care for Mom at home, and he spent her last months patiently nursing the one who cradled him for his first years.

Living four hours away could have filled me with anxiety that somehow I would miss being with Mom in her final moments, however, my experience of God’s mercy told me that I would know when it was time to say goodbye. During the final days when her celestine blue eyes could no longer see, my family took turns stroking her hair and caressing her. We told her we loved her, and we were trusting her to God’s mercy as we prayed the rosary and Divine Mercy Chaplet. On the morning of her last day on earth, a married couple, her longtime friends, brought her Holy Communion with a reading on not being afraid to return to the Heavenly Father. Mom received a tiny fragment of the Host, which contained the entire body and blood, soul and divinity of her Lord Jesus.

When her last breath was upon her, Mom reached up to Dad, to caress his face and say farewell, then her beautiful blue eyes closed to this world to open in the next. It was just before three o’clock on Friday afternoon. Though we could barely speak the words through our emotion, we prayed with the Divine Mercy Chaplet as we sent Mom into the Mercy of God.

Walking your children through the rituals of a wake and burial can be a daunting task, yet the dozens of mourners who embraced us reminded us of the beautiful life Mom had lived, and we were comforted by the stories we heard from those who remembered Mom reaching out with love to them. However, the best was yet to come. A family member, who had been estranged from his faith, had his two children baptized two days after Mom’s death.  We knew that as part of the Communion of Saints, Mom was looking down with joy as three children entered God’s family, because of her prayers. Her funeral Mass was an embrace of love. Our tearstained eyes were astonished to see a full church; family and friends had come from 14 states to pray with us, and rejoice in the gift she had been to our family.

At her graveside service, my daughters huddled together and sang the Salve Regina to entrust the soul of their grandmother to the sweet embrace of Our Lady and the tender mercy of her Son.

Copyright 2009 Leticia Velasquez

Most people think finding your life purpose means doing something you truly love.  It’s an area that just seems natural to you and things just seem to fall into place.

But what if things aren’t so clear for you?  What if you’re not sure what your gifts are?  What if you haven’t discovered any particular talent that makes you think it could be your true calling in life?  Or what if you’re working somewhere and you’re good at it, but you just don’t feel fulfilled?  Is this all there is for you?

Don’t panic.  You’re not alone.  There are lots of people in the same boat.  Take a look at the Disciples.  Now, there’s a diverse group.  Before Jesus came on the scene, they were fishermen, tax collectors, farmers, etc.  They must’ve been good at what they were doing because they were feeding their families and making a living.

But then they met Jesus, and their true calling came into focus very quickly.  What the Disciples didn’t know is that God wanted them to be happy MORE than they did.  And following God’s plan for their lives made them happy inside, where it really matters.  What a concept, huh?

Do you suppose it could be true for you too?  That God wants you to be truly happy and fulfilled MORE than you do?

And Your Next Step Is…

The next step in finding your life purpose is right in the book.  All you have to do is read it.  The Bible says Jesus told His disciples they were supposed to love one another as He loved them.  And He wasn’t kidding.  Getting really good at this part of the process is like building the basement of your house.  You wouldn’t dream of moving forward without a rock solid foundation.

Discovering God’s purpose for your life is exactly the same.  The foundation of the process means getting really good at being a Christian.  Yup, that means being nice to people even when you don’t feel like it, forgiving people, and oh yes, loving the unlovable people in the world.

So what does all that stuff have to do with what I’m supposed to be when I grow up?  Everything.  When you get good at being a Christian, you also get good at hearing from God.  He’s able to use you.  He’s able to work through you.  And it’s through that process that you’ll discover your true purpose in life.

<B>But What About Me and My Life?</B>

So if you get really great at being a Christian, or at least, you think you are, and you still haven’t found that true purpose, then what?

Getting really good at being a Christian means you stop thinking about you all the time.  Take the focus off you and look for ways to be a blessing to someone else.  There is no better way to receive help and direction in your own life than to focus on someone else.  It seems completely opposite of what the world tells you.  After all, if you’re not looking out for yourself, then who will?  Well…that would be God.

When you focus on someone else’s business, God will focus on yours.  It’s planting seeds in great soil, and now you simply need to wait for God to bring a harvest into your life.  And in the meantime…

Step Out and Try It

Working with God to find your life purpose means working as a team.  When you take a step, God takes a step.

• Be willing to try some things that interest you. You will know very quickly if you’ve found the right thing for you.  Doors will either open or slam shut.  Either way, you’ll know where you stand.
• Be Patient. Wanting to know everything right this second is pretty common these days.  Learning to trust that God will show you when He’s ready; that takes patience.  God isn’t going to show you every piece of the puzzle all at once.  If He did, you’d get that “deer in the headlights” look, because you’d be so overwhelmed by it all.  Not to mention you’d be overly tempted to come up with a back-up plan “just in case” things didn’t work out.
• Don’t waste your time on things you KNOW aren’t from God. “Get rich quick” schemes never work.  Finding a Christian husband or wife won’t happen if you’re focused on activities and events that don’t involve Christians.  And participating in things you know are wrong…well, you’re simply prolonging your answers.
• Don’t let the people around you talk you into things. Just because it all sounds like a good idea from the world’s view doesn’t mean it’s God’s plan for you.  Following God’s leading sometimes means you have to say no to many well-meaning family members or friends.  It comes down to the decision to follow, no matter where it leads.
• Lastly, DON’T ever give up. You may not know your specific purpose today or tomorrow, but as long as you’re really great at being a Christian, and your heart is open, you WILL find God and He WILL find you.

Copyright 2009 Karen Wolff

The honorarium for this appearance was to be $20,000. My children thought this was a big pile of money, but that’s before any of them enrolled in college. They know better now.

I considered “Wife Swap” for all of about four seconds before responding “thanks, but no thanks” to the producer who contacted me. That was all the time it took for me to envision my husband in the vestibule at church explaining to our pastor who the strange woman was next to him, and how the words “Wife Swap” could describe a TV show that was both wholesome and appropriate for audiences of all ages.

When my children asked how I could refuse such easy money, my answer was simple: “There’s not enough money in the world to compensate me for the loss of privacy and dignity of a TV reality show, not to mention the exploitation of my family.”

“But you could be famous,” one of them pointed out.

“I may as well sell my soul.”

They must have heard this as a firm “no” because they never asked about it again.

Sadly, Richard and Mayumi Heene weren’t so reticent to join the ranks of the exploited, nor to employ their children in their get-rich-and-famous-quick schemes.

Veterans of the show “Wife Swap,” the Heenes desired a reality series of their own. In an effort to secure such an opportunity, it appears last week the couple perpetrated a huge hoax on America through a willing news media.

On the chance you are among those productive citizens who work all day rather than watch TV news, you may have missed the story. The Heenes built an experimental “flying saucer” – really a makeshift hot-air balloon – that “accidentally” flew away, “possibly” with their 6-year-old son Falcon on board. A 911 call initiated a search for the craft, which when found, was empty of young Falcon. An even more serious situation seemed to have emerged with the possibility that the child had fallen out of the craft.

After hours of emotional TV coverage, the boy was “found” at home. On the obligatory live CNN interview, he alone spoke the truth about the day’s events when he asked his father, “I thought we did it for the TV show?”

Now the parents will be charged with a host of crimes, from conspiracy to contributing to the delinquency of a minor, though sadly, there is no law on the books against seeking fame without genuine talent. Heaven knows the jails would overflow if such a statute existed.

If the Heenes weren’t such comic figures (an experimental flying saucer?), their stunt could serve an instructive purpose, for certainly their fame obsession is an example of the vapid state of American ambition.

Celebrity now defines success in our culture. One needn’t make any real contribution to society. Just land on TV – preferably on a show where you get your own theme song – and in the time it takes to say, “I’m Jon Gosslin’s agent” you, too, can be among the rich and famous.

Or infamous.

Whatever.

We ought to be worried about such shallow values because studies now prove American middle schoolers would rather be famous than intelligent.

That’s reality, folks, and it’s not made for TV.



Copyright 2009 Marybeth Hicks

Today’s Readings

Scripture: Lectionary # 487. Wed of 31st week. Romans 13:8-10. Psalm
112:1-2. 4-5.9. Luke 14:25-33:

Luke’s narrative of the journey up to Jerusalem continues and once again
this is the part of the Luke’s long narrative that deals with discipleship.
Today it is very clear that we are learning about the criteria that makes
one a disciple of Jesus.  The reality of Jesus’ cross is applied to his
followers even though not as starkly as in St. Mark’s Gospel it is there
and is presented in a daily call from the Lord.   Jesus’ first requirement
is to put our trust entirely in God (and himself as the Son of God) and
even not to cling to our family members if that destracts us from this
trust and belief in God.  God is to be first in our lives; the rest will
follow and take its natural course in our interaction with our family
members, our brothers and sisters.  The demand is very hard and these
saying are among the most difficult that the Lord Jesus gives his
followers.  His examples in the two short parables are meant to help us to
discern carefully what he means when he says we must take up the cross and
follow him daily.  As the pericope (paragraph) ends we find another
criteria of discipleship is that of detachment from our personal
possessions. Here again the call to share and be generous toward those who
are poor is part of the call of Jesus in the Gospel of Luke–a Gospel of
prayer and poverty. Luke is always careful to point out the needs of the
poor and the need for us to do what we can for them.

In the Vatican II Constitution of the Church called Gaudium et Spes (Joy
and Hope) the pastoral concerns of the call to follow Jesus in today’s
world are emphasized.  There are some concrete and practical applications
of the criteria of discipleship.  They are extended to young people,too,
who are encouraged to give generously of their time in developing
countries. They are to collaborate with other Christians in an ecumenical
endeavor when it comes to helping and educating the poor.  Often they do
this and come back home to find they have a new vision on a more meaningful
life for themselves after having experienced people in other countries who
were helped by their technology, their education received at good
universities, and their willingness to leave their lives of relative
comfort to serve others. They are especially loved and cherished by the
children they come to help and befriend.

The people of God who are aging are also called to follow the criteria of
discipleship by their patience in their sufferings, their loneliness, and
their confinement.  Their prayer, patience, and sufferings are new forms of
carrying their cross and following Jesus more closely.  No Christian is
excluded from the call of discipleship which is so clear in the Gospels.
Amen.

Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time

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• Sunday’s Gospel
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Pre-K Lesson Plans:

We will be providing weekly Pre-K lesson plans this year. These do not coincide with the Sunday Liturgy of the Word, but are specifically created for Catholic Pre-K learners.

• Joshua and Jericho
• Moses
• Joseph and His Wonderful Coat
• Prayer – I Can Talk to God
• Noah’s Ark
• Adam and Eve
• God Made Me and I’m Special
• Creation Day Seven – On the Seventh Day God Rested
• Creation Day Six – Animals on Land and Man
• Creation Day Five – Creatures in the Seas and Sky
• Creation Day Four – Sun, Moon and Stars
• Creation Day Three – Seas, Lands and Plants
• Creation Day Two – God Created the Sky
• Creation Day One – God Created Light

Religious Education Resource Articles:

• Assessing Student Progress
• Using Technology in Your Classroom
• How to Keep Disruptive Behavior Down to a Minimum
• Organize Your Materials
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• Helping Hands Chart
• Special Needs Students – Information to Gather from Parents
• Preparing Your Religious Education Classroom

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Jotham’s Journey: A Storybook for Advent – In this widely popular, exciting story for the advent season, readers follow ten-year-old Jotham across Israel as he searches for his family. Though he faces thieves, robbers, and kidnappers, Jotham also encounters the wise men, shepherds, and innkeepers until at last he finds his way to the Savior born in Bethlehem.

For those unfamiliar with the Theology of the Body, it was a series of lectures given by Pope John Paul II, upon arrival to his pontificate, about understanding sex–in all its fullness–in light of the Catholic Gospel. George Weigel, the biographer of Pope John Paul II, called this series a “theological time-bomb” which would soon “reshap[e] the way Catholics think about our embodiedness as male and female, our sexuality, our relationships with each other, our relationships with God–even God himself.” (Forward, Theology of the Body Explained, Christopher West).

Disseminating such knowledge to the level that a non-theologian can grasp its truths is hard enough for an author or a public speaker… but a rock group? Music has a language all its own, and popular music disseminates thoughts with a series of sentence fragments�oftentimes speaking to the lowest-common denominator, building to a repetitive and hook-y chorus, with the option to incorporate a bridge�an alternate melodic and lyrical detour�if need be. Popular music today can be used as an effective teaching tool, especially when the music gives the lyrics a voicing that provides emotional depth to the cut-and-dry images contained in the lyrics.

Musically, Critical Mass is up to the challenge. After following this band for many years, I believe this is the best they’ve ever sounded. There is clarity and musicality in its guitar riffs, accompanied by solid production chops that are equal to what I hear on secular radio. The style veers from hard-rock (”Body is a Language,” “No Consequence”), to joyous pop-rock (”Alone,” “Walk You Home”) to rock balladry (”Devotion”) to praise and worship (”Body and Blood (Adoremus version)”). Regarding this last song, a reworking of an earlier song, it stands head and shoulders above the praise and worship musical landscape, improving upon the original with a wonderfully ethereal tone, and incorporating traditional Latin lyrics to the final product. I really appreciate it when Critical Mass lets it all out, taking musical chances and coming up golden.

Lyrically, David Wang and company have stretched their craft and raised the bar; there are stories here that speak to teenagers about the sexual permissiveness in society (”No Consequence”), the Steve Taylor-esque slam on artificial contraception (”Contraception Interception”), and the joys of committed celibacy (”Alone”). You may be hard-pressed to find a musical project that works this hard to shine the light of God’s grace with this much minute detail in the darkened corners of our sexually saturated society.

Taking into account that this is Critical Mass’s finest musical testament to date, with deep, detailed lyrics that are this faithful to a pertinent and applicable aspect of Catholic teaching today, I am hesitant to say that, to my ears, the marriage between lyrics and music do not entirely work.

One of the problems is that the melodies sometimes project an anger, a roughness, that runs contrary to the tone of some songs. Granted, this isn’t a problem when singing about the corruption of today’s media, or the problems within artificial contraception, but hearing the angry guitar riffs for “Friend” (a plea for compassion) and “Body is a Language”, which lays the foundation for the glorious teaching of the Theology of the Body, is disconcerting. Not to mention that most of the lyrics are barely audible underneath the band’s wall of sound (admittedly not a problem for those who have the liner notes on hand).

But even reading the lyrics and the liner notes, you read words that are more likely associated with PhD dissertations than in popular rock songs. Phenomenology. Phylogeny. Manichaeism. Pyres. There is a certain novelty in hearing such words used in a popular song format (in which the first of these words was vocally truncated into four syllables). In fairness, the band tries very hard to explain these concepts to the average listener in the liner notes; but it’s still got a ways to go.

Even though I have reservations about the final product, I wish all bands choose to not play it safe, and take the educated risks that Critical Mass has done. They ought to be commended for helping advance Catholic music and raise the listener up with knowledge and wisdom of our faith. This is most especially true for the sonic blast that accompanied this theological time bomb of the Theology of the Body.

You can purchase Body Language at the Critical Mass website, CatholicRock.com.

Reviewed by Nick Alexander

Back in her bedroom, Beth gathered her clothes, her favorite and well-worn jeans and one of her numerous comfy t-shirts, and started the shower. Within thirty minutes Beth re-entered the kitchen and was more than ready to enjoy her first cup of coffee for the day. For the next fifteen minutes Beth could peruse the newspaper while sipping contentedly.

Unlike most people, Beth started at the back of the newspaper and worked forward. She wanted to take a quick peek at anything newsworthy or worthwhile on the television that evening, and then she checked the weather, and finally the obits and the living section where Beth was sure to find some new article of interest to her. Save the heavy news for later on, was her motto, and most days it rang true…not today.

As Beth read, she never expected to come across the name of a former employee from her workplace. Beth was stunned to read that her one time co-worker and friend, Barb, had died. Skimming the death notice for more information, Beth took note of the request for donations to the local heart center in town. Remembering Barb’s zest for life, despite her oft-frail condition, Beth felt a knot in her throat.

Eyes stinging with tears, Beth pulled herself away from the paper and left for work. Everyone has probably heard the news by now, Beth guessed. Parking her van, Beth continued to battle against the surging emotions within her. Later, Beth told herself, I’ll deal with this later. We have huge orders going out today with all the weddings and graduations this weekend.

Taking a deep breath, Beth prayed for God to help her through the next eight hours. Upon entering the florist shop, Beth instantly knew Barb’s passing was known for every one of the eight employees stood with tissues in hand, red-eyed and sniffling. Feeling her own eyes brim with tears again, Beth didn’t even try to fight it this time. Instead, Beth and her friends shed their tears and found solace in one another’s shared memories of Barb. Before the day was over, they had each had taken a hand in designing the most spectacular bouquet to be given in honor of their friend’s life.

“Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near when you will say, ‘I have no delight in them.’”
Ecclesiastes 12: 1

Dear Lord,

I don’t really understand how to begin my prayer today. My emotions and thoughts are running in such divergent directions. I cannot think clearly. So many memories, wonderful memories, are vying for preeminence in my mind. Oh Lord, how dear this soul was to us all. How she loved life…and her with more reason than most to despair.

I am put to shame for the number of times I’ve groused about this minor inconvenience or that. As I recall the courage my friend consistently exhibited, I cannot help but give thanks for the blessing of her acquaintance. This single person gave so much to so many. Lord, would that my life will make such an impact, that my words bring such inspiration.

Will you bring the heart healing to all those who suffer now? Lend us your strength lest we fall away because of our despair. And never allow such sorrow to turn into bitterness of the soul. Rather, help each of us to put life into perspective. Remind us that you are calling us, every one, to a special purpose. Please Lord, undertake for us this day and let your love shine brilliantly through us for your glory.

Amen

“When life gets tough, when you’re overwhelmed with doubt, or when you wonder if living for Christ is worth the effort, remember that you are not home yet. At death you won’t leave home – you’ll go home.”  Rick Warren in The Purpose Driven Life

Copyright 2009 Michele Howe

Prize Pack 1:

• 1 copy of Erin O’Brien’s Complete Pregnancy Fitness DVD set
• 1 Bella Band
• 1 copy of the complete Laugh and Learn DVD package including Laugh and Learn about Childbirth, Breastfeeding, and Newborn Baby Care;  1 Laugh and Learn T-shirt; 1 copy of Sheri Bayles’ Laugh and Learn about Childbirth book
• 1 copy of Prayerfully Expecting: A Nine-Month Novena for Mothers to Be by Donna Marie Cooper O’Boyle
• 1 copy of Margo B. Smith’s CD “Sending Up A Prayer”

Prize Pack 2:

• 1 copy of Erin O’Brien’s Complete Pregnancy Fitness DVD set
• 2 boxes of Organic Preggie Pop Drops
• 1 copy of the complete Laugh and Learn DVD package including Laugh and Learn about Childbirth, Breastfeeding, and Newborn Baby Care; 1 Laugh and Learn T-shirt; 1 copy of Sheri Bayles’ Laugh and Learn about Childbirth book
• 1 copy of Prayerfully Expecting: A Nine-Month Novena for Mothers to Be by Donna Marie Cooper O’Boyle
• 1 copy of Margo B. Smith’s CD “Sending Up A Prayer”

Visit Kate Wicker at Momopoly for a detailed review of the Complete Pregnancy Fitness DVD set.  Visit Anne McClure at Catholic Mommy Brain for reviews of the Bella Band, Laugh and Learn package, and Prayerfully Expecting.

To enter to win this contest, you must leave a comment on this post with a valid email address (which won’t be published or shared) before Midnight PST on November 30, 2009.  I’ll draw two random winners and announce the winners when the contest has ended.

Editor’s Note – A HUGE Thanks to Anne McClure of Catholic Mommy Brain for coordinating this giveaway!

I know that you are concerned about the media’s negative influences on our nation’s children. As former Senator of Pennsylvania, I remain passionately involved in issues that concern American families. And as a Dad, I know firsthand the challenge of trying to raise good kids in a culture saturated with offensive media that undermines the values Karen and I want to instill in our kids.

America’s children spend an average of 4 hours a day watching TV and on the Internet. Contrast that with the typical 15 minutes a day kids spend talking to parents or the weekly hour in Church. The media’s power to shape our children’s hearts and minds is staggering.

As I travel across the country, parents ask me, “Isn’t there something that can be done so we can watch the shows we want to watch without exposing our children to scenes and commercials we don’t want them to see?” The answer is “yes.”

There is a solution that I’d like to share with your readers. More importantly, I’d like their feedback and their input.

After I left the Senate, I joined Mpower Media, an independent company founded by Steve McEveety (producer of The Passion of the Christ) and Ken Ferguson (former Chief Operating Officer for National Geographic Television). Mpower’s unique vision is to give parents the control over TV and Internet content according to their own standards, so that families can enjoy popular shows–without the offensive scenes or commercials.

Imagine. No more erectile dysfunction commercials during football games.  No more surprise sex scenes or graphic violence. No more offensive scenes or websites.  Children can watch the popular shows they want, and parents get peace of mind, confident that their children are protected – even when they are not there.

Our market surveys tell us that millions of families want to learn more about the Mpower Box. I am turning to you, because we want to know what your readers think.  We would love to hear how real families who share our values react to the Mpower technology.

This 2 minute video shows the difference Mpower can make for families and our culture.  Please feel free to post this video on your website and get the word out to your readers that we are very interested in hearing from them – they can contact us through our website.

I hope you’ll take a few moments to view the video and explore the Mpower website.  I have obviously not been able to preview this product aside from exploring their website, so I have no idea about the costs associated with the product.  But as a mother of teenage young men, I see the value in creating a safer viewing environment for my family.  I’m curious about your reaction to Mpower – feel free to chime in here in the comments.  Would you purchase a product like this for your home?